A FLEET of new supermarket trolleys had to be withdrawn after customers complained they were getting electric shocks from them.

Staff at Sainsbury's Savacentre store in Washington, Wearside, conducted research into the reports.

Eventually, the company's safety experts concluded that a combination of new wheels, certain footwear and atmospheric pressure had combined to shock unsuspecting customers.

More than 1,000 trolleys were withdrawn and had one wheel replaced with a safety wheel flecked with stainless steel, to cut down static electricity.

The trolleys, worth £77,000, have all been returned to duty after several days of refitting.

Store manager Joe Thurley said the work seemed to have solved the problem.

He said: "We withdrew the trolleys with baby seats because it seemed that, with those being heavier, they were building up most static.